The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-04-18
IL The PILoT-HOUsE.

81 went up in the pilot-house. think the
Captain had gone down to dinner Mr..
Anderson came up and Mr.. Molina. was
looking out of the middle wi low on the
port side, in the direction where the steamer
was lying ashore. We had been discussing
the most feasible way of getting her off.
Right under the window and, ! suppose,
about two feet from it, was a settee. had
my right knee on the settee and my left leg
on the floor. | had hardly got in that posi-
ton when | felt something under my knee.
looked down and saw this unfortunate rife.
Just then Mr.. Fonda started up the ladder.
The ladder. / think, is fully six feet from
the window where was standing, and on
the port side. As he got very nearly with
his head on a level with the pilot house deck
he said: Jack, | am coming up laughing
at me- | said: No you amt We had been
joking each other all day long. AT one time
during the day he took his hat off and wanted
me to shoot at it, but l wouldn't do it.
PICKED UP THE FATAL GUN.
Gas said No, you amt. reached down
with my right hand on the settee and picked
up the gun with my right hand and put it
out Of the window holding it by the guard.
| am satisfied from the direction in which it
was pointing that if the gun had been ex-
ploded at that time it would have shot 8
feet to Mr.. Fonda's left.
The whole thing didn't last half minute,
| suppose, the talking and picking up the
! gun. When il was ended the boat gave a
slight lurch as she was riding easily
"The gun slid down the window frame in
that way showing the jury with a cane.
| u tried to catch il, and the gun exploded y
Here the speaker paused for several seconds
TO compose himself. Il had not pointed it
at Mr. Fonda, and had no idea of doing it,"
be resumed. Indeed, | never even glanced
at the gun as / put it out, and did not OBJ
| serve that it was cooked
DID NOT KNOW 1T WAS COOKED.
Il can account for the discharge of the gun
in but one way. 1t works with a lever
When the lever is flung forward it cocks the
| gun, filings out the empty shell, if there is
one in the barrel, and on bringing the lever
| back the gun is loaded and cooked and
ready to shoot. l think that when Mr.
| Fonda was shooting he must have gone
| through that motion and left the gun
| cooked | don't know whether my finger
| was on the trigger or not; | can't say. The
rifle is much easier on the trigger than most
| guns of its kind, as had it filed down quite
! fine. | never had cross word with Mr.
| Fonda
LOADED IT HIMSELF.
did he load the gun himSelfH' asked a
juror.
Yes, sir l did not want him to take it,
At first he seemed to know how to handle it,
| but afterwards he shot at an eagle and from
/ the way he worked the gun ] saw he was not
| familiar with its working"
Mr.. Abrams then told of the accidental
| discharge of the gun twice in the room in
which the inquest was being held He men
| toned the case, he said to illustrate how
easily such guns would go off
| II am a thorough expert with the gun,
! and it ought never to have happened with
mo hDa dol h. ly,1a
| it had gone OFF when first threw it out of
the window the bullet would have passed,
| should suppose, six feet from Mr.. Fonda"
THE JURYs VERDICT.
That concluded the testimony The jury
| deliberated about ten minutes and then an
| nounced that they had found verdict. Il
stated that F. NJ Fonda came TO his death
| from the accidental discharge of gun by
! j. j. Abrams, whom they exonerated from
| all blame.
Che verdict was signed by A.
L: Hartridge, Jr., foreman, and all
of the jurors except Stephen Robey. He
stated to MORNING NEWS reporter that he
thought perhaps the shooting might not
have been accidental Coroner Dixon said
| that eleven signatures were sufficient
\ telegram was sent to a friend Of Mrs.
| Fonda, who broke the news of her husbands
| death to hei The body will be sent to
NASHVILLE This morning.
KNIGHTS TEMPLAR ESCORT
Mr. Fonda was a member of Henderson
Commandery No. IA, Knights Templar, of
Henderson, KY, and the remains will be
escorted from the waiting room of the Cen
trail railroad depot, where they will be placed
early this morning, to the cars, by Palestine
COmmandery No. of this city, under COM
mand of Gen. r. H. Anderson, Eminent
Commander.
The deceased was prominent in the Ma
sonic fraternity, and had on when he was
killed a beautiful Masonic emblem. He
was formerly Superintendent of the Hender-
son division of the Louisville & Nashville
railroad when he received the appointment
April ! of Superintendent of the Centrals
main stem from General Manager Belknap,
who was an intimate friend.
Since coming to Savannah Mr.. Fonda has
boarded at the Pulaski House. He made
friends rapidly and was very popular with
MS employees